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Anise seed

Spices & seasonings · Whole spices

Anise seed

Small, grey-green oval seeds with a sweet liquorice flavour, used in breads, sweets and liqueurs.

Also called: aniseed, anís, anis, erva-doce, saunf (anise)

A kind of spices

3 recipes with it

Read the full spice guide: flavour, history and how to use it

Photo: OttawaAC, via Wikimedia Commons (CC-BY-SA-3.0)

What it is

Anise seed (aniseed) comes from a small Mediterranean plant related to fennel and cumin. The seeds are tiny, grey-green and ribbed, with a sweet liquorice taste milder and lighter than star anise and sharper than fennel seed. It flavours ouzo, pastis and many Mediterranean and Latin American sweets.

Pimpinella anisum

How it’s used

  • Biscuits, breads and cakes
  • Mexican and Spanish sweets
  • Liqueurs and teas
  • Some sausages and pickles

Characteristics

Taste
Sweet liquorice.
Sold as
whole, ground
Cooking uses
Mainly a seasoning, Suitable for baking

Storage

Cool, dry and dark. Airtight jar away from light; grind just before use.

Diet, allergens and safety

No major allergens in typical versions.

  • Vegetarian
  • Vegan
  • Dairy-free
  • Egg-free
  • Gluten-free
  • Nut-free
  • Soy-free
  • Caffeine-free

Nutrition per 100 g

Energy
337 kcal
Protein
17.6 g
Carbohydrate
50.02 g
Fat
15.9 g
Fibre
14.6 g
Sugars
— g

USDA FoodData Central: Spices, anise seed.

Substitutes

Optional — what works if you don’t have it, and how it changes the dish.

Related ingredients

Recipes with anise seed

More whole spices